Self-centering flexible rolling-mill coupling



C. A. PSILANDER I SELF CENTERING FLEXIBLE ROLLING MILL COUPLING Dec. 211926. 1,611,608"

Filed y 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 21 1926.

C. A. PSILANDER SELF CENTERING FLEXIBLE ROLLING MILL COUPLING 2Sheets-Sheet 2 led May 28 1925 %.5.

gwuenhn 61/7. i/Zi/YDf/P Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

UNITED'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. PSILANDER, F YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO HANSE. MELIN AND ONE-THIRD TO ARTHUR A. OLSON, BOTE OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

snnr-onnrnzame FLEXIBLE ROLLING-MILL COUPLING.

Application'filed May 28,.1125. Serial No. 33,540.

Rolling mill trains sufl'er the disadvantage that, dueto variable wearin the bearings, and other causes, the rolls. cannot be maintained inhorizontal alinement. To offset 6 this it has been the practice formany, years to employ couplings between the rolls 51nd spindles withsufficient clearancewto compensate for dilferent roll levels and alsofor manufacturing faults. And, in order'to' main- 10 tainthe rolls andspindles in operating line, drags are usually provided at the ends ofthe mill train to hold the couplings tightv against their workingsurfaces and prevent them' from getting loose when the roll train stopsor slows down.

The'drags bei-ng simply brakes, are in no case fullyeffective for thepurpose intended. .In fact they are more or less of a handicap, becausethey: absorb alarge portion of the power, require cooling and otherspecial maintenance and occupy considerable space. It has been proposedto employ springs between the ends of the spindles and the spindle endsof the couplings, to assist the. drags in overcoming the noise and playof the parts. While theoretically they may overcome the play between thecouplings and the spindles, their eificiencydepends on anv ex-.

ternal ring for which there is usually no room at the roll end of thecoupling. Hence. the ultimate result is support at one end only and butlittle improvement over the usual drags. Moreover, the proposedcompensating means requires special spindles, special 85 couplings,- andspecial spring stretcher blocks, and if used commercially wouldnecessitate a reconstruction to a greater or less degree of the standardroll train. The object of the present invention is to 40 overcome thefaults and disadvantages stated, by providing a'self-compensating,flexible, and balanced coupling for rolling mill trains, wherein thestandard roll receiving end, as well as the standard spindle receivingend are provided with compensating springs arranged withinjand carriedwholly by the coupling, whereby the coupling becomes flexible andself-centering. The couplings, otherwise of standard form andconstruction, are recessed'from within to form spring housings in whichsprings are arranged to bear on the wabbler ends of the spindles androlls, to maintain driving contact between the coupling and itsconnected part, without appreciable play, while at the same time end ofa spring hanger 12, the opposite end Fig. 3 is a plan view of theimproved cou pling, the springs being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a broken sectional view showing how the springs may beretracted, as when removing or inserting a roll or spindle.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional detail.

The coupling 1, otherwise of standard form and construction, is adapted,as at ends 2, for the-reception of spindles 3 and roll necks 4. Thecoupling is recessed from the inner wall in line with the spindle androll necks to form spring housings 5. v The bottom or transverse wall 6of each housing 5,

is formed with a rectangular opening 7. A

heavy duty spring-8 is arranged in the housing inwardly of the wall 6,with the latter formingan outer bearing abutment for the spring. Theother end of the spring is provided with a bearing abutment in the form.ofa skirted cap 9.- In Figs. 4 and 5, the cap has a'central threadedboss 11 to receive one no of which extends through and more or lesscorresponds in shape to the opening 7 in the wall 6. The spring hanger12, beyond the wall. 6, is laterally extended-to form a shoulder 13,being further extended beyond such shoulder 13 to form a second shoulder14. The outer or'free endof the spring hanger is formed with an opening15, and 1n operative position the spring hanger plays through theopening 7, both shoulders being free. In Figs. 2 and 3, the s ringhanger 12 has pivotal connection wit lugs-11 of the cap or bearingmember 9.

The spring. housings 5 in the couplings are formed so that the .caps ofthe springs at each end of the coupling bear on the spindle .end or'rollneck, as the-case may be, in the direction of drive in the operation ofthe train- That is to say, the cou pling drives and is driven throughactual.

contact with the spindle end or roll neck,

wpre cisely as in standard installations, while neck, holding thecoupling to its work in any position; preventing the constantlyrecurring loose relation between the coupling and spindle endor rollneck, particularly when starting and stopping. The springs serve to holdthe couplings in comparatively tight relation, and thereby obviate, orat least materially reduce, noise, wear and backlash. Furthermore, inthe usual type of mill, the use of couplings, such as described, willadmit of the elimination of stretcher blocks and drags, and consequentlythe couplings and spindles necessary to the drags, thus saving the costof such, as well as the power and maintenance necessary when drags areemployed. I

- \Vhen it becomes necessary to remove a roll or spindle, a suitable baror lever 16 is inserted in the eye or opening'15 of the spring hanger12, and manipulated to compress the spring and thus withdraw its cappedend or bearing element 9 from contact with the spindle end and rollneck. In

this relation, the shoulder 13 of the hangers will be forced to one sideto cause said shoulder to bear on the wall 6, to hold the springwithdrawn. Of course, it will'be understood that all springsrhave to bewithdrawn to permit thecoupling to be moved laterally over the spindleend, as required for the removal or insertion of a roll. To restore thecoupling function the hangers are simply displaced laterally, to freethe shoulder from the wall 6, whereupon the s rings will resume theiroperative position. I hen the couplingsare to be stored or held vreadyfor use with the springs in inoperaplings being merely recessed from theinside to form the spring housings. There are no overhangs orprojections and yet the rolls and spindles may be as easily withdrawnand coupled as in the ordinary or standard arrangement. The springs arealways active, both when the train is operating and when it is at rest,and though serving to maintain a comparatively tight connection they areflexible and operate to fully and automatically compensate for anyirregularity in the roll line.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

-1. A rolling mill coupling having self adjusting springs operatingwholly within the effective coupling length of the coupling and bearingon the ends of the coupled element in the direction of the drive.

.2. A rolling mill coupling internally recessed to form spring housings,and springs free in said housings to bear on the ends of the coupledelements in the direction of the drive.

3. A rolling mill coupling having inner recesses forming springhousings, springs free in said housings to exert pressure in wardly oithe coupling, and means to hold the springs against such freedom.

4. A" rolling mill coupling having inner recesses forming housings,springs in said housings and normally free to exert pressure inwardly ofthe coupling, and means for retracting the springs.

5. A rolling mill coupling internally recessed to form spring housings,springs in said housings,spring hangers extending to the outer surfaceof the coupling, and means for holding them in a predetermined positionagainst the tension of the springs.

6.-In-combination, a spindle, a roll, and means for coupling-them, said,means comprising a floating coupling box, and springs within thecoupling box for centering it.

7. In, combination, a spindle, a roll, and

means for coupling them, said means com prising a floating coupling box,springs for centering the box, and adjustable hangers for the springs.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES A. PSILANDER.

